New Delhi

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday expressed happiness at his statue being unveiled at Wankhede Stadium, saying that life has come full circle for him, recalling the days as a child when he sneaked into the stadium.

Sachin took to X to express his happiness. He dedicated the statue to everyone who was a part of his journey as a cricketer.

"This photo has a very special place in my heart. From being a 10-year-old boy who was sneaked into the North Stand with only 24 tickets for 25 eager fans, to having my statue unveiled at the iconic Wankhede, life has truly come full circle. I still remember our joyous chants, the camaraderie of that group, and the overwhelming support of the @NorthStandGang over the years. To think that I first stepped foot in Wankhede as a fan, then went on to be the ball boy in the '87 World Cup, lifted the 2011 World Cup, and played my last international game here - it is a journey words can't capture. This statue isn't just mine. It is a dedication to every non-striker, my cricket heroes, every teammate, every colleague, who stood by my side, for without them, this journey wouldn't have been possible. Wankhede, and cricket, you've been very kind," tweeted Sachin on X.

This photo has a very special place in my heart. From being a 10-year-old boy who was sneaked into the North Stand with only 24 tickets for 25 eager fans, to having my statue unveiled at the iconic Wankhede, life has truly come full circle. I still remember our joyous chants, the… pic.twitter.com/Oi481ktwBP

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 2, 2023

Sachin Tendulkar's life-sized statue was unveiled at the Wankhede Stadium on the eve of India's World Cup clash against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) President Amol Kale, Rajya Sabha member Sharad Pawar, and Sachin's wife Anjali Tendulkar, daughter Sara Tendulkar, and brother Ajit Tendulkar were present during the unveiling of the statue.

The statue is dedicated to 50 years of Tendulkar's life and has been installed by MCA near Sachin Tendulkar Stand at the stadium, and it was unveiled today.

Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, team India's supporter and a fan of Sachin, was also present during the ceremony. He blew a conch shell and waved the Indian flag.

Sachin is considered as the greatest batter to have played the game. With 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52, Sachin is the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He has scored 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries, most in international cricket. He is the only player to have a century of centuries.

With 18,426 runs in ODIs and 15,921 runs in Tests, Sachin also has the highest runs in both formats. He is the first player to hit an ODI double hundred and to have played 200 Test matches.

He also has 201 international wickets to his name, making him a very useful part-time spin bowling option. With a total of 664 international appearances, he is the most-capped player of all time. He is part of the Indian Team which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

Sachin has played six IPL seasons from 2008-2013, all for Mumbai Indians, where he has scored a total of 2334 runs in 78 matches at an average of 34.84. Sachin has 13 fifties and one hundred under his belt, hitting 29 sixes and 295 fours with a strike rate of 119.82. He won the 2013 edition of the tournament with the franchise as a player.

Sachin's best performance came in IPL 2010. He scored 618 runs in 15 matches at an average of 47.53 at a strike rate of 132.61. He scored five fifties that season and his best individual score was 89*. He won the 'Orange Cap' that season. MI finished as runners-up that season.